This invention relates to unique forms of gas flow valve constructions, particular forms of reducer regulator valve constructions in combination therewith and the particular forms of reducer regulator valve constructions with or without the unique gas flow valve constructions connected in a logic system, all for controlling the flow of pressurized gas for downstream use such as air breathing life support systems and the like. The unique gas flow valve constructions include a gas pressure sensitive detent system locking the valves in an open position when moved thereto until the pressure of the regulated gas being transmitted decreases below a predetermined pressure, at which time, the detent system releases the valves for automatic closing. In the combination of the gas flow and reducer regulator valve constructions, the two valve constructions are readily assemblable in an extremely compact, space-saving form and in assembly, each valve augments the precise required operation of the other. In gas flow logic systems, the particular reducer regulator valve constructions may be conveniently arranged so that a slightly higher pressure gas is initially transmitted through a first valve construction while a second valve construction connected to a slightly lower pressure gas source remains dormant sensing the higher pressure gas flow and as the source of higher pressure gas becomes depleted, the lower pressure gas valve construction automatically takes over the system and continues gas transmission with the slightly lower pressure gas. All of the foregoing features are quite valuable for use in various air breathing life support systems.
In modern times, the desirability for use of air breathing life support systems for various purposes has become quite prevalent. Furthermore, one of the more common uses of such air breathing life support systems has been under emergency conditions and various other forms of working conditions wherein the entire air breathing life support system is mounted on and carried by a single individual. For instance, single individual mounted and transported air breathing life support systems are quite commonly used by fire and police under both emergency and other working conditions, by underwater diving personnel under both emergency and other working conditions, and by industrial workmen under both emergency and other working conditons, all for either life preserving or life sustaining purposes.
In the continued redesign and modernization of the individualized air breathing life support systems, one of the major considerations and goals has been the increasing of compactness so as to reduce the bulk thereof, as well as weight reduction, to thereby give greater freedom to the individual carrying the system and add effectiveness to and increase the efficiency of the various working operations being performed. One important step toward the increasing compactness goal has been the adaptation of the systems for the use of greatly increased higher pressure, and still portable, air supplies. This has been accomplished by the provision of safe and efficient, high pressure gas reservoirs which are capable of safely storing compressed air at greatly increased pressures so that much larger quantities of low pressure breathing air may be stored and supplied in relatively small, lightweight reservoirs. This means that despite reduced size of the more modern reservoirs, a sufficient quantity of compressed air may be safely stored and supplied to sustain the individual for the same, or even far greater lengths of time as with the more bulky and individual motion inhibiting prior compressed gas reservoirs.
However, for the still greater furtherance of this compactness or bulk reducing goal, various improvements in the system controls must be made, not only to decrease the size or bulk and weight thereof, but also to increase the dependability of operation. Any air breathing life support system is comprised of a series of components and all such components must be equally dependable if the vital life sustaining purposes are to be accomplished. At the same time, the level of dependability of operation must be maintained and progressively increased, even at the greatly increased system reservoir pressures, if overall satisfactory improvements are to be provided. This obviously includes the vital system controls.
Furthermore, with the reservoir size reductions with the same or far greater capacities, and adding to that an increased compactness of the various control assemblies with weight reductions, this means that a single individual may carry multiple air breathing life support packs, the packs being distributed at various locations on the individual resulting in far less inhibition of individual motion, while still being capable of carrying a greatly increased quantity of life sustaining air greatly increasing the time of use before replenishment is required. One difficulty to be overcome where multiple packs are to be simultaneously used, however, is how to arrange and interconnect the various pack systems so that interruptions in life sustaining air are avoided. With use of the present air breathing life support system controls, each pack must be individually connected and individually controlled thereby requiring a close monitoring of the use of air from one pack so that the next pack will be connected into the system to maintain the air supply as the first pack is depleted. Obviously, this problem is of great concern if multiple air breathing packs are to be safely and efficiently used.
As an example, assume that two life support packs are to be used by a single individual, a primary life support pack and a secondary life support pack. Each life support pack would require separate controls and the primary life support pack would be connected into the system transmitting air supply to the individual while the secondary life support pack, although probably also directly connected in the system for transmitting air to the individual, would be maintained in a closed condition. With the use of the prior life support pack controls, this would mean that the individual using the life sustaining air would have to closely monitor his use of air from the primary life support pack and as the supply of air approached and reached depletion, he would have to manually alter the controls of the secondary life support pack so that his supply of air was continuously maintained despite the ultimate depletion of the primary life support pack. Obviously, depending on manual control for switching from the primary to the secondary life support pack air when the individual is otherwise distracted by his important working operations is quite dangerous and undesirable if improvements can be made for the avoidance of the same.